Business and Planning Act 2020

21 Mayor of London’s spatial development strategy: electronic inspection

(1) The Greater London Authority Act 1999 has effect as if, in section 43 (publicity and availability of strategies), after subsection (4) there were inserted—

“(4A) But if a copy of the current version of the spatial development strategy is available for inspection free of charge by appropriate electronic means, subsections (3) and (4) do not apply in relation to the current version of that strategy.

(4B) For the purposes of subsection (4A), a copy of the current version of the spatial development strategy is available for inspection “by appropriate electronic means” if arrangements have been made such that it is available for inspection by electronic means in a reasonably convenient way.

(4C) Before making any arrangements for the purposes of subsection (4B), the Mayor must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State as to—

(a) how a copy of the current version of the spatial development strategy should be made available by electronic means;

(b) the arrangements (if any) that may be appropriate to mitigate the effects on a person of not being able to inspect a copy of the strategy, or finding it difficult to do so, by electronic means.”

(2) Subsection (1) expires at the end of 31 December 2020.

(3) If the Secretary of State considers it reasonable to do so to mitigate an effect of coronavirus, the Secretary of State may by regulations substitute the date for the time being specified in subsection (2) with a later date.

(4) In subsection (3) “coronavirus” means severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).